2017-18 Week 38 — May 21-25 — Exam Week!

It’s here! The last week of school! We’re almost there!

You have made it to exam week…only 5 short days between you and summer. Now we’ve just got to get through exams! You can do it!

Monday will be a special schedule because of Senior Day. This is what Monday looks like:

1st period (normal class period)
2nd period (normal class period)
3rd period (27 min)
4th period (27 min)
5th period (27 min)
Lunch–pick up food and go out to concession stand or into the gym if it’s raining
6th period (31 min)
Move to DBC for Senior Day
Senior Day
7th period (30 min)

Exams start Tuesday. Here’s the schedule for that:

• Tuesday: 2nd and 3rd
• Wednesday: 1st and 5th
• Thursday: 6th and 7th
• Friday: 4th

Each day, students are to arrive (IN FULL UNIFORM) at 7:50:

7:50 prayer and pledge in 1st exam period classroom
8-10   first exam period
10-10:25  break
10:30-12:30   second exam period
12:30   prayer, announcement, and dismissal

On Friday, the timing will be slightly different:

7:50   prayer and pledge in 4th period classroom
8-8:30  locker clean out
8:30-10:30  4th period exam
10:30 dismissal

As you are preparing for exams, please look around for any extra books (or any books that may belong to me! 🙂 ) and bring them back to school. If you have books in your locker, you are welcome to put them in my room and I can figure out where they belong.

Let’s talk about your exams for a few minutes. We have discussed them in class, but I wanted to put the info here, too.

English 11:

• Part A: Serial Closing argument (You should have done this in class Thursday and Friday)
• Part B: REHUGO reflection essay (We will start these on Monday, but you may finish them on exam day.)
• Part C: Argument essay (Choose one topic from the list and write a well-developed argument essay.)

AP Lang:

• Part A: AP Review One pager (You should have done this in class Thursday and Friday)
• Part B: REHUGO reflection essay (We will start these on Monday, but you can finish them on exam day)
• Part C: Synthesis Argument activity (individual and group components)

Thank you all for a great year. Let’s finish strong!

2017-18 Week 36 — May 7-11

We’re on the home stretch! Two weeks and then exams! We can do it!

Before we talk about the schedule for the week, I want to remind you that you all need to submit your Cultural or Fine Arts reflections before exams. Don’t forget that you should have 3 hours of Cultural or Fine Arts experience for this semester. There are several ways to document this. You can write a brief reflection for each experience or you can do something artistic. You will turn them in to Google Classroom or to the box for your class in my classroom. If you’re looking for an opportunity to earn some Cultural or Fine Arts hours, there is a Band Concert on Thursday night at 6:30 in the DBC. You can earn 1.5 hours then. If you have any questions, see me before or after school.

Let’s take a look at this week:

• English 11 — Week of May 7-11
  • Monday, May 7
    • Finish REHUGO speeches
  • Tuesday, May 8
    • Episode 5 of Serial podcast
    • Cell Phone Log/Cell Tower map activity
  • Wednesday, May 9
    • Finish Episode 5 discussion
  • Thursday, May 10
    • Episode 6 of Serial
  • Friday, May 11
    • Finish Episode 6 of Serial and complete Exercise 2
    • AotW 21 due
• AP Lang — Week of May 7-11
  • Monday, May 7
    • Finish REHUGO speeches
  • Tuesday, May 8
    • AP Menu Project
    • AP Art History exam
    • AP Physics 1 exam
  • Wednesday, May 9
    • AP Menu Project
  • Thursday, May 10
    • AP Menu Project
  • Friday, May 11
    • AP Menu Project
    • APUSH exam (8am)
    • AP Computer Science Principles exam (noon)

Let’s make sure that we finish strong! Have a great week!

2017-18 Week 34— April 23-27

Happy Sunday night!

Don’t forget that the detailed outline of your speech AND your visual aid are due in G00gle Classroom tomorrow (Monday, April 23). These are two major grades (outline=writing grade and visual aid=project grade), so make sure that you meet these deadlines.

Let’s take a look at this week:

English 11 — Week of April 23-27

• Monday, April 23
  • REHUGO detailed outline and visual aid due
  • complete Serial episode 1
• Tuesday, April 24
  • Serial episode 2
• Wednesday, April 25
  • Serial episode 2/Crazy Chart
• Thursday, April 26
  • Serial episode 3
• Friday, April 27
  • AotW 21 due
  • Serial episode 3

AP Lang  — Week of April 23-27

• Monday, April 23
  • detailed outline and visual aid due
  • review student samples from synthesis essays
• Tuesday, April 24
  • student samples
• Wednesday, April 25
  • AP study guide discussion
• Thursday, April 26
  • AP Olympic/MC
• Friday, April 27
  • AP Olympic/MC

Have a great week!

2017-18 Week 32— April 9-13

Welcome back from Easter Break! I hope that you all had a fun and refreshing time (filled with GOOD decisions)! I’m sure you were all just as ready for Easter Break as I was!

Now’s the time to get focused again, though, because we only have 6 weeks of school before exams! Yikes–we have lots to do! I also want to remind you that you have another big REHUGO deadline coming up–you should have a detailed outline of your speech AND the visual aid complete and submitted to Google Classroom by Monday, April 23. You’ll have time to practice and fine tune your speeches that week, and we’ll start presenting speeches in class on Monday, April 30. Make sure you’re working on those things now!

AP folks, your AP Lang exam is Wednesday, May 16, which is just over a month away. We’ll be doing REHUGO speeches starting on April 30, too, but we’ll also take some time the week before and do some review before going in to the exam.

Also, don’t forget that PROM is next Saturday night! This is the last week to purchase your tickets. You can do that at lunch or in my room after school. If your date is not an MCPS student, those forms are due by Thursday, April 12. Please don’t forget! Late forms WILL NOT be accepted.

Let’s take a look at this week:

• English 11 — Week of April 9-13
  • Monday, Apr 9
    • Discuss details about REHUGO speech
    • Watch some sample TED talks
  • Tuesday, Apr 10
    • Should be finished reading Farewell to Arms and prepared to discuss 
  • Wednesday, Apr 11
    • Read and discuss some World War I era poetry
  • Thursday, Apr 12
    • Finish discussing WW1 poetry
    • Non-MCPS Prom date forms due
  • Friday, Apr 13
    • AotW-20 due
    • REHUGO speech work day
• AP Lang — Week of April 9-13
  • Monday, Apr 9
    • Discuss details about REHUGO speech
    • Watch some sample TED talks
  • Tuesday, Apr 10
    • Should be finished reading Orthodoxy and prepared to discuss
    • Discuss synthesis prompt from Slow Practice exam
  • Wednesday, Apr 11
    • High School Drama synthesis activity
  • Thursday, Apr 12
    • record video discussions for High School Drama synthesis
    • Non-MCPS Prom date forms due
  • Friday, Apr 13
    • REHUGO speech work day

Let’s have a great week!

2017-18 Week 31 — March 26-29

We’re on the home stretch now! Just four days this week until Good Friday and Easter Break! We can do it!

I want to remind you all that we’re going to the Chrism Mass on Tuesday. All students need to be at the high school at 7am in mass uniform. Gentlemen, PLEASE make sure that you shave. Everyone needs to make sure that you’re wearing the correct mass attire.

I moved the REHUGO Benchmark 3 deadline to Thursday. Please make sure that you all add your REHUGO components to your website and that you add your website link to the Benchmark 3 post in Google Classroom before Thursday.

AP folks, we’re doing a Slow Practice week this week. You’ll have one essay component of the AP exam each day this week. This will be a good practice for the timing of the test in May. I’m looking at Saturdays to see if there’s a good option to offer a full practice exam for you–details to come on that.

Let’s take a look at this week:

• English 11–Week of March 26-29
  • Monday, March 26
    • In-class essay on first section of Farewell to Arms
  • Tuesday, March 27
    • Chrism Mass
      • Mass day uniforms
      • 7am arrival
  • Wednesday, March 28
    • finish in-class essay
    • homework: Read “The Lost Generation” (Handout)
  • Thursday, March 29
    • discuss “The Lost Generation”
    • Benchmark 3 due (add link to Benchmark 3 post in Google Classroom!)
• AP Lang–Week of March 26-29
  • Monday, March 26
    • Slow Practice In-class essay–synthesis
  • Tuesday, March 27
    • Chrism Mass
      • Mass day uniforms
      • 7am arrival
  • Wednesday, March 28
    • Slow Practice In-class essay–argument
  • Thursday, March 29
    • Benchmark 3 due (add link to Benchmark 3 post in Google Classroom!)
    • Slow Practice In-class essay–rhetorical analysis

Let’s have a great week!

 

2017-18 Week 30 — March 19-23

Week 30?! Really? Not far now, Papa Smurf! (Did I just totally date myself? Do you guys remember the Smurfs at all–not the Smurfs the movie, but the Smurfs from Saturday morning cartoons. Oh well–your parents will remember!) We don’t have long before the end of the school year–about 8 weeks of classes–and we’ve got quite a bit to do between now and then. Even though we’re all dreaming about a week off and maybe some sand between our toes, it’s the time to buckle down and stay focused so that we’re not sweating our grades in a few week’s time.

Speaking of being focused–Benchmark 3 for REHUGO is due on Monday, March 26. That’s NEXT Monday! You have had a couple of work days for these components, so I hope that you’re working hard to get these finished. My goal is that there will be NO 0s for REHUGO Benchmark 3 when I start looking at them on March 27. I’ll be checking before Easter Break (and putting 0s in for anything that is missing)–we’re too close to the end of the year to mess around at this point. Please make sure that you’re getting your work done and staying focused.

We also have a book that you’re supposed to be reading outside of class. The English 11 students should be reading Ernest Hemingway’s Farewell to Arms. By the end of this week (3/23), you should be about 160 pages into that book (right where Book 3/Chapter 25 (XXV) starts). I want you to have the book finished by the Tuesday after Easter Break. If you haven’t started reading yet (and I know that some of you haven’t), that’s 15 pages a day, including reading over Easter Break. If I were you, I’d make sure to spend my independent reading time in English class working on getting those pages read. 🙂  AP Lang students should be reading GK Chesterton’s Orthodoxy. You’ll need to have that finished by next Wednesday (3/28) so that we can discuss it in class. If you haven’t started yet, that’s about 18 pages a day.

Let’s take a look at this week:

• English 11
  • Monday, March 19
    • reading – Rick Reilly
    • turn in your Chrism Mass permission slip and Lenten Day of Service permission slip!!
  • Tuesday, March 20
    • writing assignment
  • Wednesday, March 21
    • reading Carl Sandburg’s “I Am the People, the Mob”
  • Thursday, March 22
    • REHUGO work day–focusing on synthesis essay
  • Friday, March 23
    • Lenten Day of Service
    • Article of the Week #19 is due on Google Classroom
• AP Lang
  • Monday, March 19
    • reviewing student samples from Arg essay packet and discussing
    • turn in your Chrism Mass and Lenten Day of Service permission slips
  • Tuesday, March 20
    • introduction to synthesis
  • Wednesday, March 21
    • synthesis activity
  • Thursday, March 22
    • Locavore/synthesis activity
  • Friday, March 23
    • Lenten Day of Service

Please don’t forget to turn in your permission slips for Chrism Mass and Lenten Day of Service. Also, if you haven’t bought your Prom tickets yet, the early bird special discount has been extended to Tuesday. Through Tuesday, tickets are $20 each (except for MCPS Seniors, whose tickets are $5 each). After Tuesday, regular tickets are $25 each and MCPS Seniors are $10 each. Have a great week!

2017-18 Week 28 — March 6-9

I hope that you enjoyed your extra day off this weekend (and that you got some work done on late work that you may owe me!). 🙂 We had a wonderful Faculty Retreat today!

Don’t forget that you must have your class books in hand and in class on Friday. This will count for a grade. Here are the books:

• English 11 — A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
• AP Lang — Orthodoxy by GK Chester

Let’s take a look at what’s going on this week:

• English 11
  • Tuesday, March 6
    • work with Carl Sandburg’s “Chicag)
  • Wednesday, March 7
  • Thursday, March 8
    • Carl Sandburg’s “Halsted Car”
  • Friday, March 9
    • Bring your copy of A Farewell to Arms to class. This will be a grade!
    • REHUGO Work Day–Work on Benchmark 3
    • Last day of the Quarter
• AP Language
  • Tuesday, March 6
    • work with MC
• Wednesday, March 7
  • Finish discussing MC tests
• Thursday, March 8
  • Arg prompt silent discussion
• Friday, March 9
  • Bring your copy of Orthodoxy to class. This will be a grade!
  • REHUGO Work Day–Work on Benchmark 3
  • Last day of the Quarter

Let’s have a great week!

2017-18 Week 27 — February 26-March 2

Hello, all! I hope that you had a good weekend!

I’ve got some reminders for you first.

• REHUGO Benchmark 2 is due on Monday, 2/26. Anything that is not submitted by the end of the school day on Monday will receive a late penalty.
• Late Benchmark 1 components must be submitted by the end of the school day on Monday, 2/26. Any component submitted after that deadline will receive a highest possible grade of 50.
• Late Benchmark 2 components must be submitted by Friday, 3/2, for a highest possible grade of 80. Any components submitted after that date will receive a highest possible grade of 50. Please make sure that you are staying on task and getting your work done!
• All English 11 students should have purchased A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway when you purchased your textbooks in the Fall. If you didn’t, you need to get a copy of that book. You must bring your copy of the book to class with you on March 9 for a grade. You should be 1/3 through with the book (about 117 pages) by March 16.
• All AP Language students should have purchased Orthodoxy by GK Chesterton when you purchased your textbooks in the Fall If you didn’t, you need to get a copy of the book. You must bring your copy of the book to class with you on March 9 for a grade. You should be finished with it by March 16. (It’s only about 120 pages.)

Now let’s take a look at what’s going on in Eng 11 or AP Lang this week. 🙂

• English 11 — Week of 2/26-3/2
  • Monday, 2/26
    • complete Researched Argument Essay in class
    • REHUGO Benchmark 2 components due
    • late REHUGO Benchmark 1 components due (max possible grade=80)
  • Tuesday, 2/27
    • Read and discuss “Lucinda Matlock”
  • Wednesday, 2/28
    • Begin discussing modernist poets
    • Discuss Carl Sandburg’s “Chicago”
  • Thursday, 3/1
    • Continue to discuss Sandburg
    • Read and discuss Sandburg’s “Grass”
  • Friday, 3/2
    • REHUGO work day. Benchmark 3 due March 26
    • AotW 18 due
• AP Lang — Week of 2/26-3/2
  • Monday, 2/26
    • Finish work on Argument packet Argument essay
  • Tuesday, 2/27
    • AP Multiple Choice practice
  • Wednesday, 2/28
    • AP Multiple Choice practice
  • Thursday, 3/1
    • Read and discuss samples for Arg packet essays
  • Friday, 3/2
    • REHUGO work day. Benchmark 3 due March 26

I also want to encourage you all to keep reading your independent reading books. If something that you read has an impact on you, let’s talk about how you can reach out to the author. Just this weekend I shared a tweet with an author (Andrew Smith, author of Winger) on behalf of a student, and he responded with encouragement and a virtual high five! Young Adult novelists, especially, are well known for interacting with their fans on Twitter, so think about it! 🙂

Have a great week!

2017-18 Week 26 — February 20-23

Enjoy your day off tomorrow, everyone. Don’t forget that you’re coming up on another big REHUGO deadline (Monday, Feb 26). Some of you still owe me components from the first benchmark, so make sure that you’re working hard this week so that you can earn as many points possible. AP folks, don’t forget that your last Rhetorical Device Weekly assignment is due on Tuesday, Feb 20. This counts as a test grade, so be sure that it is complete and turned in. We will have one more Rhetorical Device assignment next month, but you’ll like that one–details to come. 🙂

The Juniors and Seniors are going to ASF on Tuesday. Please remember that you should wear your mass day uniform (and dress shoes). There are 3-4 of you who have not turned in your permission form and a couple who have not turned in money. If you have not turned in money to me before the bell for 1st period to begin rings (at 7:50), then you are too late. Please take care of this promptly. If you have not turned in your permission slip by the 1st period bell, then you will be required to stay at school while your classmates attend the play.

Let’s take a look at this week:

• English 11 — Week of 2/20/18
  • Monday, 2/19
    • no school! Enjoy the break!
  • Tuesday, 2/20
    • Juniors and Seniors to ASF–mass day uniforms
  • Wednesday, 2/21
    • Begin working on researched argument essay. Due 2/27
  • Thursday, 2/22
    • Work on researched argument essay
  • Friday, 2/23
    • AotW 17 due
    • REHUGO work day
• AP Lang– Week of 2/20/18
  • Monday, 2/19
    • no school! Enjoy the break!
  • Tuesday, 2/20
    • Juniors and Seniors to ASF–mass day uniforms
    • Rhetorical Device Weekly 5 due in Google Classroom
  • Wednesday, 2/21
    • table group and whole class discussions on Argument packet
  • Thursday, 2/22
    • in-class essay from argument packet
  • Friday, 2/23
    • REHUGO work day

Have a great week!

2017-18 Week 25 — February 12-16

Happy Sunday, y’all! Our basketball teams had some tough Area Championship losses this weekend, but they both move forward in Subregional play this week. I haven’t heard an update yet on Wrestling Sectionals, but hopefully they went well, and I know that Soccer starts up this week, too. I’ve also heard that the Band and Color Guard were terrific on Friday in Mobile. Thank you to any of you who may have volunteered to help at the Montecarlo Night on Saturday night, too. It was a fun and successful night!

As we look into this week, don’t forget that Mrs. Barranco will be finishing Advising appointments for our Juniors. She’ll spend about 15 minutes with every Junior talking you through your schedule for next year. You should have gotten an email with a reminder of your appointment time, and I’ll have a schedule in my room, too. Make sure that you tell your teacher if you’re going to be missing class and that you plan to be at your advising appointment about 2 minutes early so that everything moves quickly. If you miss your appointment for any reason, send Mrs. Barranco an email or stop by her office between classes or after school and she’ll get you rescheduled.

If you have not turned in your permission form and/or money for ASF yet, you must do that early this week. 

Let’s take a look at this week!

• English 11 — Week of February 12, 2018
  • Monday, February 12
    • Turn in any missing ASF Field Trip forms!
    • in-class essay
  • Tuesday, February 13
    • Mardi Gras Prayer Breakfast **special schedule
    • Reading rate calculation and reading plan for REHUGO book checked
    • Argument analysis in song
  • Wednesday, February 14
    • Ash Wednesday (and Valentine’s Day)–mass. **Not sure if we’ll wear mass uniforms or not yet, but I’ll update you tomorrow when we know.
    • Argument analysis in song
  • Thursday, February 15
    • Argument analysis in song
  • Friday, February 16
    • REHUGO work day
    • AotW-16 due
• AP Lang — Week of February 12, 2018
  • Monday, February 12
    • Rhetorical Device Weekly 5 is due NEXT Tuesday, 2/20. Don’t forget. 🙂
    • Turn in any missing ASF Field Trip forms
    • in-class essay
  • Tuesday, February 13
    • Mardi Gras Prayer Breakfast **special schedule
    • Reading rate calculation and reading plan for REHUGO book checked
    • Argument analysis packet–individual work
  • Wednesday, February 14
    • Ash Wednesday (and Valentine’s Day)–mass. **Not sure if we’ll wear mass uniforms or not yet, but I’ll update you tomorrow when we know.
    • Argument analysis packet–table groups
  • Thursday, February 15
    • Argument analysis packet–whole group discussion
  • Friday, February 16
    • REHUGO work day

Let’s have a great week!